Freelance Lead Cloud Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Job Description SummaryThe Lead Cloud Engineer is a senior, hands-on technical role responsible for designing, implementing, and managing cloud-based systems across Azure and AWS platforms. This role combines hands-on technical expertise with team leadership, focusing on cloud-native architecture, automation, security, and operational excellence to support Western Growers' digital transformation goals, while providing leadership, mentorship, and guidance to other engineers. The incumbent in this role remains deeply involved in day-to-day engineering work, driving cloud adoption, infrastructure modernization, and security best practices. The role partners closely with IT leadership, application teams, and vendors to ensure cloud solutions align with business and technical requirements.Duties And ResponsibilitiesCloud Infrastructure & ArchitectureDesign, implement, and manage cloud infrastructure across Azure and AWS platforms aligned with business requirements and security standards.Lead cloud migration initiatives, including workload assessment, migration planning, and execution for applications and data.Architect hybrid cloud solutions integrating on-premises systems with cloud services.Implement and maintain infrastructure as code practices using Terraform, ARM templates, or CloudFormation.Optimize cloud resource utilization and costs through rightsizing, reserved instances, and automation.Establish and maintain disaster recovery and business continuity capabilities in cloud environments.Ensure high availability, resiliency, and optimal performance of all cloud-based systems and services.Maintain backup and recovery procedures for all critical cloud workloads.Microsoft 365 & Identity ManagementOversee Microsoft 365 tenant administration, including Exchange Online, SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive.Manage Azure Active Directory/Entra ID, including user provisioning, group management, and conditional access policies.Implement and maintain hybrid identity solutions (Azure AD Connect, SSO, MFA).Establish and enforce identity governance and privileged access management.Security and ComplianceImplement cloud security best practices including network segmentation, encryption at rest and in transit, and access controlsCollaborate on security strategy, threat response, and risk mitigation.Design and implement security-first cloud architectures that align with organizational risk tolerance and industry best practices.Embed security controls into all cloud designs and implementations.Stay current with emerging cloud technologies, architectures, and industry trends.Identify and recommend opportunities to leverage cloud capabilities for business process improvement and operational efficiency.Vendor and Stakeholder ManagementEvaluate and recommend cloud services, tools, and technologies to support business objectives.Work with internal stakeholders to understand requirements and translate them into technical solutions.Coordinate with software vendors on cloud-based integrations and API connectivity.Provide regular reporting on cloud operations, costs, and project status to leadership.Establish, monitor, and report on SLAs for cloud infrastructure and services.Participate in change management processes related to cloud infrastructure and platform modifications.Participate in IT strategic planning, roadmap development, and budgeting processes.Leadership & MentorshipProvide technical leadership by guiding the planning, design and execution of cloud engineering work across projects.Mentor and support cloud and systems engineers through hands-on guidance, architecture and code reviews, and collaborative problem solving.Promote consistent engineering standards, best practices, and reusable patterns across cloud and infrastructure platforms.Serve as an escalation point for complex technical challenges, assisting teams in resolution while reinforcing sound cloud and security practices.OtherUtilize all capabilities to satisfy one mission — to enhance the competitiveness and profitability of our members. Do everything possible to help members succeed by being curious and striving to understand what others are trying to achieve, planning, and executing work helpfully and collaboratively. Be willing to adjust efforts to ensure that work and attitude are helpful to others, be self-accountable, create a positive impact, and be diligent in delivering results.All other duties as assigned.Physical Demands/Work EnvironmentThe physical demands and work environment described here represent those that an employee must meet to successfully perform this job’s essential functions. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate with others. The employee frequently is required to move around the office. The employee is often required to use tools, objects, and controls. This noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.QualificationsFive (5) to eight (8) years of progressive experience in infrastructure, systems engineering, or cloud engineering roles with demonstrated experience serving as a technical lead or senior engineer in cloud-focused initiatives.Minimum three (3) years of hands-on experience with Microsoft Azure and/or AWS in production environments. Expert level knowledge preferredMicrosoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate or Azure Solutions Architect Expert (Preferred).AWS Certified Solutions Architect or AWS Certified SysOps Administrator (Preferred).Expert-level knowledge of Microsoft Azure services including:Azure Virtual Machines, Virtual Networks, and hybrid connectivity (VPN/ExpressRoute)Azure Active Directory, Entra ID, Conditional Access policiesAzure Storage, SQL Database, and data platform servicesAzure Monitor, Log Analytics, and Application InsightsAzure DevOps or GitHub Actions for CI/CD pipelinesStrong working knowledge of AWS services including:EC2, VPC, S3, RDS, LambdaIAM, Security Groups, and network ACLsCloudWatch, CloudTrail, and AWS ConfigAWS CloudFormation or Terraform for infrastructure as codeDeep technical knowledge of:Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, ARM templates, CloudFormation)Container technologies (Docker, Kubernetes, AKS, EKS)Microsoft 365 administration and hybrid identity (Azure AD Connect, SSO)PowerShell, Python, or Bash scripting for automationNetworking fundamentals including DNS, VPN, firewall rules, and routingSecurity best practices including zero-trust architecture, encryption, and compliance frameworksMust be available for after-hours maintenance windows, emergencies, and on-call rotation.Ability to work independently while maintaining collaborative relationships across the organization.Additional relevant certifications in security, DevOps, or cloud platforms. #J-18808-Ljbffr